Ecology of the Creosotebush T-Arhea Tridentata (Dc.) Cov
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ECOLOGY OF THE CREOSOTEBUSH LARREA TRIDENTATA (DC.) COV. Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic); maps Authors Dalton, Patrick Daly, 1922- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 24/09/2021 16:14:07 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/290170 ECOLOGY OF THE CREOSOTEBUSH T-ARHEA TRIDENTATA (DC.) COV. by Patrick D.^l)alton, Jr. A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of IK3CT0R OF PHILOSOPHY "In the Graduate College UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 19 6 1 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE I hereby recommend that this dissertation prepared under my direction by Patrick D. Dalton, Jr. entitled ECOLOGY OF THE CREOSOTEBUSH LARREA TRIDENTATA (DC.) COV. be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement of the degree of , DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY .vK'v ^wvV i ^ , f $6 / Dissertation DirectoV \ Date After inspection of the dissertation, the following members of the Final Examination Committee concur in its approval and recommend its acceptance:* j$.£#y7A~j g/i *This approval and acceptance is contingent on the candidate's adequate performance and defense of thijs dissertation at the final oral examination* The inclusion of this sheet bound into the library copy of the dissertation is evidence of satisfactory performance at the final examination. STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in The University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable with out special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in their judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many individuals have been instrumental in assisting the author in bringing to a conclusion this ecological investigation with its various associated disciplines. It is impossible to list all who have been involved with this work. However, the following deserve special thanks and credit. Dr. R. R. Humphrey, Professor of Range Management in the Department of Watershed Management, guided the author through his academic program, assisted in choosing the doctoral research program and served as dissertation director. Dr. Humphrey provided strong support and guidance throughout the program and gave freely of his time and ability. The following also served on the author's guidance committee, gave freely of their time and critically read this dissertation: Dr. R. M. Turner, Department of Botany, and Dr. T. C. Tucker. Department of Agricultural Chmis^r^t^m^s/ils. Appreciatio 5 extended to Dr. A. L. McComb, head of the Department of Water d Management, and members of the staff and faculty who assisted in the investigation at various times and for use of departmental space and facilities. Sincere appreciation is also given to Dr. W. S. Phillips, head of the Department of Botany, and to members of his staff and faculty who assisted. Special thanks iii is expressed to Dr. Phillips for use of both equipment and space for microtechnique and photographic work performed by the author. The author is indebted to the regional W-25 committee of the Western Agricultural Experiment Stations for providing financial assistance from July 1, 1958 to December 31, 1959 and again from January 1, 1961 to June 30, 1961 through Regional Research Project 365; and the National Science Foundation for support from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1960. Most important, the author is grateful to his wife Lela who, among other things, typed this paper and without whose moral support this work would not have been completed. Finally, the many others, unnamed, who are deserving o£ the author's gratitude. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Tables vii List of Figures xi CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1 The Problem 1 Taxonomy "T . 2 Description of the Species 4 Values and Uses of Larrea tridentata 6 II DISTRIBUTION 11 Method 11 Factors Affecting Distribution 14 Edaphic Factors . 14 Climatic Factors 15 Precipitation 16 Temperature 17 Distribution of the Genus 18 Distribution of the Genus in the North American Deserts . 20 The Mohave Desert 21 The Sonoran Desert 21 The Chihuahua Desert 22 Distribution of Larrea in Arizona 22 Extension of Larrea tridentata Distribution. 24 v f TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont'd) CHAPTER Page III THE LARREA COMMUNITY 26 Nature of the Data and Method of Analysis... 26 Analysis Results 27 Description of Communities 30 y Larrea Dominant 30 Larrea-Deaert Scrub 30 Larrea-Franseria 32 Larrea-Opuntia 33 Larrea-Fouquieria 34 Larrea-Grass 34 Larrea-Subordinate 37 IV SEED GERMINATION 38 Soil Texture and Moisture 39 Temperature and Solution 42 Pre-Cooling 45 Light 46 ' pH 51 Carbon Dioxide 53 Temperature and Longevity . '. 56 V PHENOLOGY OF LARREA TRIDENTATA 60 Method 60 Response to Moisture 61 Response to Temperature 65 VI LEAF ANATOMY OF LARREA TRIDENTATA 67 Preparation of Material 67 Discussion 69 VII LEAF MOISTURE 79 Method 82 Discussion 83 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont'd) CHAPTER Page VIII LARREA GROWTH INHIBITERS 89 Method 92 Results 96 Discussion 102 IX EFFECTS OF FIRE 105 Method 106 Results and Discussion 106 X SUMMARY 114 REFERENCES CITED 118 APPENDIX 128 vii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Composition of 787 creosotebush communities from the Papago Indian Reservation, Pima County, Arizona .... 28 2. Amount of moisture as affecting germination of Larrea tridentata seed • 40 3. Effects of temperature and solution on germination of Larrea tridentata seed 44 4. Germination of Larrea tridentata seeds following a seven day cooling period of 0° C. compared to seed which received no pre-germination treatment 47 5. Effect of light on germination of Larrea tridentata seed 50 6. Effect of pH on germination of Larrea tridentata ... 52 7. Effect of carbon dioxide on germination of " Larrea tridentata 55 8. Effects of high temperatures and longevity on the germination of Larrea tridentata seed 57 9. Larrea tridentata growth response to watering 63 10. Means of air-dry weights of seedlings of Larrea and four grass species 97 11. Means of whole plant lengths of seedlings of Larrea and four grass species 98 12. Means of stem lengths of seedlings of Larrea and four grass species 99 13. Means of root lengths of seedlings of Larrea and four grass species 100 14. Abundance of Prosopis iuliflora as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert. , 129 viii LIST OF TABLES (cont'd) Table Page 15. Abundance of Franseria deltoIdea as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert. 130 16. Abundance of Opuntia spp. as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert 131 17. Abundance of Cercidium microphyllum as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert. 132 18. Abundance of Lycium spp. as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert 133 19. Abundance of Haplopappus teunisectus as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert. 134 20. Abundance of Atriplex polycarpa as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert. 135 21. Abundance of Franseria dumosa as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert. 136 22. Abundance of Krameria parvifolia as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert. 137 23. Abundance of Acacia constrieta as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert. 138 24. Abundance of Fouquieria splendens as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert. 139 25. Abundance of Olneya tesota.as related to abundance Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert 140 26. Abundance of Encelia farinosa as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert. 141 27. Abundance of Gutierrezia lucida as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert.. 142 28. Abundance of Psilostrophe cooperi as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert. 143 29. Abundance of Janusia gracilis as related to the abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert. 144 ix LIST OF TABLES (cont'd) Table Page 30. Abundance of Acacia greggii as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert 145 31. Abundance of Calliandra eriophvlla as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert . 146 32. Abundance of Crassina purnila as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert ...... 147 33. Abundance of Jatropha cardiophylla as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert . 148 34. Abundance of Siamondsia chinensis as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert . 149 35. Abundance of Cercidium floridum as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert . 150 36. Abundance of Eriogonum fasciculatum as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert . 151 37. Abundance of Huhlenbergia porteri as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert . 152 38. Abundance of Tridens pulchellus as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert . 153 39. Abundance of Bouteloua rothrockii as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert . 154 40. Abundance of Tridens muticus as related to abundance of Larrea tridentata in the Sonoran Desert' 155 41.